Arguably one of the most photographed women in the world, we’re used to seeing images of the Duchess of Cambridge plastered across the pages of magazines and newspapers.

Never anything less than immaculate and smiley, Kate’s face has become familiar to all of us – making a recently circulated image of her all the more distressing.

An advertisement showing a clearly doctored image of the Duchess with a black eye has been featured on several websites, Mamamia reports.

Not only this, but the text underneath the photo provocatively reads, “Kate Finally Reveals What Caused the Dispute.”

The subversive combination of this line and image imply domestic violence.

However, when you click on the “exclusive” you’re taken instead to a piece titled “Princess Kate Middleton Will Spend Time Away From the Royal Family To Campaign For Breakthrough Skincare Line!” hosted on a site which resembles PEOPLE Magazine (but isn’t).

Nothing is mentioned about the photoshopped black eye.

The implication of domestic violence is being used, wrongly, to lure people into clicking.

Worryingly, although the advert is deliberately misleading, Junivive, the skincare line featured does in fact exist – and according to Mamamia has previous form in deceiving would-be customers.

Firstly, it describes itself as “a hostile to maturing cream which resembles a gift to every one of those lady who had been in an urgent look for a cure of their maturing signs.”

It’s Ts&Cs are also cause for alarm as if agreed to, the company can change them at any time, and the onus is on the customer to inform themselves of these changes.

Additionally, there are supporting accounts from customers who have been scammed out of their money having bought the cream.

Aside from the scam element, inferring domestic violence to attract people’s attention is not only very worrying, but is also seen to diminish the gravity of the issue.

Dr Lauren Rosewarne, a senior lecturer in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne told Mamamia:

“There should be no place for references or allusions to domestic violence as part of any marketing strategy.”

When trying to get hold of Junivive for comment, it’s proven impossible to find any contact details.